Provided is an aqueous ink for ink jet using a self-dispersible pigment as a coloring material, the aqueous ink being capable of recording an image having excellent color developability and the aqueous ink being capable of suppressing the deposition of an aggregate in the cap of a recording head. The aqueous ink is an aqueous ink for ink jet including a self-dispersible pigment. The self-dispersible pigment is a self-dispersible pigment in which a group represented by the general formula (1) is bonded to a surface of a particle of a pigment, and the aqueous ink has a dynamic surface tension at 10 milliseconds of 52 mN/m or less. In the general formula (1), M.sup.1s each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, ammonium or an organic ammonium, and * represents a bonding position to the surface of the particle of the pigment.

The aqueous ink for ink jet includes a self-dispersible pigment in which functional groups are bonded to a surface of a particle of a pigment and include a first functional group represented by the formula (1) and a second functional group including at least one kind of group represented by the formula (2). A molar ratio of an anionic group amount of the first functional group to a total anionic group amount of the first functional group and the second functional group in the self-dispersible pigment is 0.20 times or more to 0.97 times or less. In the formula (2), two of R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each represent COOM.sup.2 and three thereof represent hydrogen atoms, and the two COOM.sup.2s are adjacent to each other or are present at positions sandwiching one carbon atom for forming a benzene ring.

The aqueous ink for ink jet includes a self-dispersible pigment in which functional groups are bonded to a surface of a particle of a pigment and include a first functional group represented by the formula (1) and a second functional group including at least one kind of group represented by the formula (2). A molar ratio of an anionic group amount of the first functional group to a total anionic group amount of the first functional group and the second functional group in the self-dispersible pigment is 0.20 times or more to 0.97 times or less. In the formula (2), two of R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each represent COOM.sup.2 and three thereof represent hydrogen atoms, and the two COOM.sup.2s are adjacent to each other or are present at positions sandwiching one carbon atom for forming a benzene ring.

An inkjet ink includes: a pigment, a preservative, a zwitterionic compound, and water. The zwitterionic compound is a zwitterionic compound that has a zwitterionic structure in an environment with a pH of 7.5 or more and 9 or less. The preservative includes at least one of 2-(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, orthophenylphenol, sodium dihydroxydimethoxybenzophenonedisulfonate, para-aminobenzoic acid, ferulic acid, benzalkonium chloride, or the like. In the inkjet ink, the content of orthophenylphenol is 4 mass % or less and the content of ferulic acid is 7 mass % or less.

An inkjet ink includes: a pigment, a preservative, a zwitterionic compound, and water. The zwitterionic compound is a zwitterionic compound that has a zwitterionic structure in an environment with a pH of 7.5 or more and 9 or less. The preservative includes at least one of 2-(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)benzotriazole, orthophenylphenol, sodium dihydroxydimethoxybenzophenonedisulfonate, para-aminobenzoic acid, ferulic acid, benzalkonium chloride, or the like. In the inkjet ink, the content of orthophenylphenol is 4 mass % or less and the content of ferulic acid is 7 mass % or less.

A recording method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a recording method to perform recording on a recording medium in a manner such that while a relative position between an ink jet head and the recording medium is transferred, a scan to eject an ink from the ink jet head so as to be adhered to the recording medium is performed a plurality of times for the recording. The method described above includes a step of adhering a treatment liquid containing an aggregating agent to the recording medium; a step of ejecting a color ink composition containing a colorant from the ink jet head so as to be adhered to the recording medium; and a step of ejecting a clear ink composition containing a resin from the ink jet head so as to be adhered to the recording medium. In the recording method described above, the color ink composition is adhered to the same scan region by performing the scan at least two times, the clear ink composition is adhered by the same scan as a final scan of the at least two scans to a scan region of the recording medium to which the color ink composition is adhered, and an adhesion amount of the clear ink composition adhered by the final scan in the region to which the color ink composition and the clear ink composition are adhered is 80 percent by mass or more of a total adhesion amount of the clear ink composition in the region.

A recording method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a recording method to perform recording on a recording medium in a manner such that while a relative position between an ink jet head and the recording medium is transferred, a scan to eject an ink from the ink jet head so as to be adhered to the recording medium is performed a plurality of times for the recording. The method described above includes a step of adhering a treatment liquid containing an aggregating agent to the recording medium; a step of ejecting a color ink composition containing a colorant from the ink jet head so as to be adhered to the recording medium; and a step of ejecting a clear ink composition containing a resin from the ink jet head so as to be adhered to the recording medium. In the recording method described above, the color ink composition is adhered to the same scan region by performing the scan at least two times, the clear ink composition is adhered by the same scan as a final scan of the at least two scans to a scan region of the recording medium to which the color ink composition is adhered, and an adhesion amount of the clear ink composition adhered by the final scan in the region to which the color ink composition and the clear ink composition are adhered is 80 percent by mass or more of a total adhesion amount of the clear ink composition in the region.

An aqueous ink includes water, a solvent group A having a vapor pressure of 0.07 Pa or more at 25 C., a thickener, and a binder polymer. The solvent group A is present in the aqueous ink in a weight percent of 31.0 wt % to 55.0 wt % with respect to a total amount of the aqueous ink. The thickener is present in the aqueous ink in a weight percent of 13.0 wt % or less with respect to the total amount of the aqueous ink. The aqueous ink has a viscosity of 10 mPa.Math.s to 14 mPa.Math.s at 25 C.

An aqueous ink includes water, a solvent group A having a vapor pressure of 0.07 Pa or more at 25 C., a thickener, and a binder polymer. The solvent group A is present in the aqueous ink in a weight percent of 31.0 wt % to 55.0 wt % with respect to a total amount of the aqueous ink. The thickener is present in the aqueous ink in a weight percent of 13.0 wt % or less with respect to the total amount of the aqueous ink. The aqueous ink has a viscosity of 10 mPa.Math.s to 14 mPa.Math.s at 25 C.